Cricket

Sri Lanka's Charith Asalanka led his team to a convincing five-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second ODI at Pallekele, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.Chasing a revised target of 190 in 44 overs due to rain, Sri Lanka lost early wickets but recovered through a 62-run partnership between Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrama. Asalanka then took charge, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 62 off 61 deliveries, including seven fours and a six. He shared a crucial 55-run stand with Janith Liyanage to guide Sri Lanka home with 34 balls to spare.Earlier, the West Indies were in dire straits at 58-8 after being put in to bat. However, a record-breaking ninth-wicket partnership between Sherfane Rutherford and Gudakesh Motie rescued them. Rutherford, dropped twice, smashed 80 off 82 balls, while Motie contributed an unbeaten 50. Their 119-run stand eclipsed the previous highest ninth-wicket partnership for the West Indies in ODIs.Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, claiming 4-40 on a challenging pitch.Asalanka's match-winning knock marked his second consecutive half-century in the series, following his 77 in the first ODI. The victory extended Sri Lanka's impressive home record, with this being their tenth consecutive home series win.The third and final ODI will be played at the same venue on Saturday, with Sri Lanka aiming to complete a clean sweep.

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots' struggles in the 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) have been compounded by the withdrawal of Sherfane Rutherford for personal reasons. The 26-year-old all-rounder had played just four games for the Patriots, scoring 35 runs at a strike rate of 194.44.Rutherford's absence has left a significant void in the Patriots' batting lineup, with Dominic Drakes, primarily a bowling all-rounder, batting at No. 7 against the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons. The Patriots are currently rooted to the bottom of the CPL 2024 points table with a solitary win in six matches.Despite a four-wicket haul from Sri Lanka wristspinner Wanindu Hasaranga, the Patriots failed to defend 153 on a tacky surface against the Falcons. The loss extended their losing streak at Basseterre to 11 completed games since winning the CPL 2021 title at home."We disappointed them [the St Kitts and Nevis crowd]," said Patriots' captain Andre Fletcher. "It's hard and I would like to apologize as the leader as well, saying sorry for not giving them a win on home soil."The Patriots' woes have been compounded by injuries to Kyle Mayers, who left the field with a suspected hamstring injury, and Rilee Rossouw, who returned to action after recovering from a calf injury. Prior to the start of the season, the Patriots had lost Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza to injury and were depleted by the unavailability of Hasaranga and Tabraiz Shamsi at different points.Meanwhile, Pakistan and Falcons opener Fakhar Zaman has left the CPL to participate in the Champions One-day Cup, Pakistan's newer version of the domestic 50-over competition. Fakhar's Falcons team-mates Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir, however, have made themselves available for the domestic tournament and will instead continue to play in the CPL.In Fakhar's absence, Brandon King made his debut for the Falcons and slotted in at the top after recovering from a side injury. King marked his return with 29 off 16 balls, which set up the Falcons' successful chase of 154.

New Zealand's disappointing performance in their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against West Indies has prompted skipper Kane Williamson to demand improvement from his team. The Kiwis fell short by 13 runs in a match where they struggled to chase down the Windies' total of 149/9.Williamson, who managed just 1 run before being dismissed by Gudakesh Motie, acknowledged the need to adapt to the conditions at the Brian Lara Stadium. "Conditions here are what they are and we can't make excuses," he said. "We need to keep getting better and keep finding a way."The Kiwi skipper emphasized the importance of learning from their mistakes and bouncing back in their next match. "The learnings are important and we need to pick ourselves up and go again," he added.West Indies' victory was largely due to the heroics of Sherfane Rutherford, who smashed an unbeaten 68 off just 39 balls, including six sixes. Nicholas Pooran also contributed with a quickfire 17.Trent Boult led the New Zealand bowling attack with three wickets, while Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson claimed two each. However, the Kiwi batters failed to capitalize on their efforts, with only Glenn Phillips (40) offering any significant resistance.Alzarri Joseph was the star of the Caribbean bowling attack, taking four wickets, while Motie chipped in with three. Rutherford's all-round performance earned him the Player of the Match award.Williamson acknowledged the need to improve their batting performance, particularly in the middle overs. "We need to find a way to get through those middle overs and build a platform," he said. "We're not far away, but we need to be smarter and execute better."The Kiwis will have a quick turnaround as they face Scotland in their next match on October 20. Williamson will be hoping for a much-improved performance from his team as they look to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

In a thrilling encounter at Tarouba, West Indies secured their berth in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup with a hard-fought 13-run victory over New Zealand.Sherfane Rutherford emerged as the hero for the hosts, smashing an unbeaten 68 off just 39 deliveries. His innings, which included six towering sixes and two boundaries, propelled West Indies to a competitive total of 149 for 9 after they had slumped to 76 for 7 in the 12th over.In response, New Zealand's chase was derailed by the brilliance of Alzarri Joseph and Gudakesh Motie. Joseph, the pacer, claimed 4 for 19, while Motie, the left-arm spinner, returned with impressive figures of 3 for 25.New Zealand's openers, Devon Conway and Finn Allen, were dismissed cheaply in the powerplay. Motie then played a pivotal role, dismissing Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson in quick succession. Glenn Phillips kept the Kiwis in the hunt with a 33-ball 40, but Joseph's late burst of wickets extinguished their hopes.With three consecutive wins, West Indies have booked their place in the Super Eight stage. New Zealand, on the other hand, are on the brink of elimination after suffering back-to-back defeats.